TEARS of relief were shed by parents when a Ramsbottom primary school escaped closure at a crunch meeting.

The Schools Organisation Committee (SOC) voted two to one in favour of closing St Paul's CE Primary School on Thursday night (Sept 5).

But the school was given a reprieve because the vote has to be unanimous, which meant the Local Education Authority (LEA) could not press ahead with its closure proposal and move pupils to neighbouring St Andrew's CE School.

The fate of the 19th century building in Crow Lane will now be decided by an independent schools' adjudicator. A judgement is not expected for several weeks.

Speaking after the meeting at Radcliffe Civic Hall, chairman of governors Mrs Pat Smith said: "We are very, very happy. This is a very positive result for us. The focus group, which was formed by the school to keep it open, never gave up fighting and this result shows all the hard work was worth it."

Andrew Todd, leading member of Save our School Focus Group, told the Bury Times: "This is exactly the result and outcome we expected. We still have to wait for the decision by the independent schools adjudicator.

"But we are quietly upbeat about the decision made. We have got through round one of the cup and now we have to win the final."

A falling number of pupils had been behind Bury LEA's move to close and merge a number of schools in the borough.

But their proposals had to be passed by the SOC, made up of three bodies: the LEA, church, and school governors across the borough.

Each is given one block vote, and it was the school governors who voted against the plan to close St Paul's.

SOS members, a protest group formed at the beginning of the year, gave a presentation to the SOC, arguing against LEA figures to close the school. The members claimed the figures were flawed, given the amount of housing development taking place in Ramsbottom.

Mr Todd told the committee and the 50 SOS supporters assembled in Radcliffe Civic Suite: "The LEA uses a national formula which reckons 100 houses produce 28 primary school pupils, so their new houses will generate only 22 children.

"We rang planning to find not 80 houses with planning permission, but 218. They said Ramsbottom was a 'hotspot" for new houses. Their phrase, not ours."

But Harold Williams, the borough's chief education officer, insisted the figures used by the authority were accurate, and were backed by regular inspections by the Audit Commission.

Throughout the meeting, SOC members questioned accommodation problems which would result from the school's closure, as well as the figures used to justify the proposal.

This is the second time the school has had to fight to keep it open. It won 20 years ago and is hoping to do the same again.

Mr Todd added: "There is still uncertainty about the future of the school. But if the independent adjudicator is like the body which which threw out the proposal, then we are fine. But we just don't know what will happen."

Coun Barry Theckston, who has opposed the closure, added: "I would like to pay tribute to the focus group which gave a first-class presentation with excellent arguments.

"Ramsbottom's councillors are strong supporters of small schools and this is a pleasing result."

St Mark's CE Primary School in Bury will close. The SOC voted unanimously to shut the school and send children to St John's CE Primary.

The acting deputy head of St Mark's, Mrs Carol Breedon, made a last-ditch attempt to save the school.

She said: "There has been major investment in St Mark's. We have had a new roof and play area and a new staff car park. The authority should recognise the size of this investment.

"It would be cheaper to adapt the St Mark's site to accommodate pupils than it would the St John's site."

Mrs Breedon also argued against the claim that more pupils would have to cross the busy Walmersley Road to get to her school, saying: "Quality of education and the ethos of the school is important and the issue of crossing is low down on parents' list of priorities. It has never been a issue before and I do not think if St Mark's school is chosen it will be an issue in the future."

Staff at St John's CE pledged to ensure the accommodation of pupils on to the one site would be "smooth".

SOC also ruled that Fishpool Infants and St Chad's CE Junior School will be merged to become one primary school, a move which did not meet with any notable opposition.